Numinous Norcia & Roman Forum Forays

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The view from my guest room in Norcia

The monastery of Norcia

Just returned a couple nights ago from Italy, and the jet lag is… well… something to offer up! The trip was a great success: I spent half the time in Norcia, with my monastic family, and half the time in Gardone Riviera, on Lake Garda, enjoying the fellowship of the Roman Forum.

The monks recently finished building the long-awaited guest house, which can accommodate a total of 13 visitors. It is truly a perfect place to stay: as peaceful as you could wish, surrounded by breathtaking scenery, with a walk to the monastery church taking only a few minutes — albeit by a sharp uphill path that left me panting for air, as the famous biblical deer pants for streams of running water. There’s a kitchen, dining room, and all-purpose room that the monks use for classes, retreats, catechism, and the like.

Men, women, even families are welcome (space allowing!) at the guest house.

The last photo is a view of the moonlit valley from my bedroom.

The Norcia Guesthouse

As many of you will know, the monks have been assiduously building and renovating at their property up in the mountains ever since they moved there after the great earthquake of 2016. Last month, in the middle of June, the community rejoiced to celebrate the completion of the new monastery, into which they have moved, followed by the blessing of their new abbot, Right Reverend Benedict Nivakoff, who pontificated for the summer feast of St. Benedict on July 11th. (A lovely interview with him may be found here.)

Here are photos of the new monastery (some by me, and others provided by the monks). You’ll see, from upper left to bottom right: the front of the monastery and the church, with the wall that indicates the cloistered area; the same view from further back, with the tent that was up from mid-June to mid-July; the fountain in front of the monastery entrance; a cloister garden; the refectory; the chapter room (a matching portrait of St Benedict is on the opposite wall); the scriptorium; the monastery church; and Abbot Benedict giving the pontifical blessing.